Enough Fentanyl To Kill 2.5M People Trafficked By LI Man: DA

DEER PARK, NY — A Long Island man was indicted on Thursday after possessing enough fentanyl to kill 2.5 million people, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney.

Adriano Abreu Bonifacio, 39, of Deer Park, was indicted for operating as a major trafficker and criminal possession of a controlled substance for possessing five kilograms of fentanyl—enough to kill around 2.5 million people—that he accepted as a package mailed to his home, the DA said.

"This indictment represents our office’s unwavering commitment to combating the fentanyl overdose crisis," Tierney said. "Our office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who import and distribute this poison into our community."

According to the DA, on Dec. 17, 2024, the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Suffolk County Police Department became aware of a suspicious package that had been shipped from Paramount, California, to Bonifacio’s Deer Park home under a pseudonym. The package had been flagged by a California law enforcement agency and later turned over to the Suffolk County Police Department by the United Parcel Service for further investigation, the DA said

A Suffolk County Police narcotics-trained canine named "Champ" indicated a positive alert to the presence of a narcotic odor and after further examination, the package was confirmed to have contained five kilograms of fentanyl, the DA said.

The next day, the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force had an undercover officer disguised as a delivery driver bring the target package, a white box, to Bonifacio along with a brown package without drugs in it, the DA said. When Bonifacio met the undercover officer who delivered the package, he pointed to a white box addressed to "Miguel Perez," the DA said.

The officer asked Bonifacio if he was "Miguel Perez" and Bonifacio allegedly identified himself as a friend of the intended recipient and said that "Miguel Perez" had authorized him to accept the package, the DA said. Bonifacio was arrested after he accepted the package and provided his New York State driver’s license to the delivery driver to scan and confirm receipt, the DA said. The investigation later revealed that "Miguel Perez" did not reside at the house.

Laboratory analysis of the contents confirmed the package contained five kilograms of fentanyl—enough to kill more than 2.5 million people—and nearly enough to kill every resident living in Nassau and Suffolk counties combined, the DA said.

On Feb. 5, Bonifacio was indicted before County Court Judge Philip Goglas and charged with one count of operating as a major trafficker, a Class A-1 felony; one count of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class A-1 felony; and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony, the DA said.

Goglas ordered Bonifacio held on $500,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond, or $5,000,000 partially secured bond, the DA said. Bonifacio is due back in court on March 13 and faces 15 to life in prison if convicted on the top count, the DA said. He is being represented by Javier Solano who was not immediately available for comment.